"You still haven't told me, what does he look like?"
"Well, he's very handsome." Zheng Yiran nodded shyly.
"Then when you two are together, you must introduce him to us!"
"I will, he's a very good person. He'll definitely agree to meet you then."
Zheng Yiran said, picturing herself taking her roommates out for a meal with Lu Yi, she felt a wave of sweetness.
"If you like him, go for it! Don't wait until it's too late and regret it, so Yiran, you can make the first move," one roommate encouraged her.
"That's right, just as you said, he's so handsome and has such a good personality, he's bound to have many admirers.
So you need to seize the opportunity of his special attention towards you, make a move, and win him over."
After that, they started brainstorming ideas for Zheng Yiran, emphasizing the need to capture the man's heart.
Although Zheng Yiran outwardly disagreed slightly, she kept all her roommates' suggestions in mind.
She felt it was worth a try; she couldn't always wait for Lu Yi to be the one to initiate.
She seemed to need to give him some hints, to let him know that she also genuinely wanted to be with him.
Meanwhile, Lin Yan was still racking her brain on how to save the female lead, unaware that the female lead was about to walk right into a trap.
Upon hearing the system's report on the current developments, Lin Yan was at a loss for words.
The forceful pursuit from the original novel had disappeared, replaced by a game of superficial romance.
However, she realized she might not need to intervene too much, unless Lu Yi's actions became too extreme. Still, this turn of events seemed rather intriguing.
With Lu Yi no longer a threat to the female lead, Zheng Yiran, Lin Yan could breathe a sigh of relief. Yet, the accumulation of funds was still a necessary task.
She didn't want to be anyone's subordinate; she wanted to establish her own research institute so that whatever she produced wouldn't arouse suspicion.
But if Lu Yi truly set his mind to approach someone, it was indeed difficult to refuse!
It would be wonderful if the male lead and female lead could genuinely turn their pretend romance into a real one, after all, their fate was intertwined.
If Lu Yi weren't so obsessive, they would make a perfect couple.
It remained to be seen if the male and female leads could have a happy ending while the white moonlight was still alive.
Just as Zheng Yiran and Lu Yi were growing closer, with Zheng Yiran feeling that Lu Yi would confess his feelings at their next meeting, Lu Yi asked to see her again.
Zheng Yiran, under the teasing gazes of her roommates, applied her makeup and put on her armor before leaving.
Zheng Yiran detected a hint of hesitation in Lu Yi's voice when he invited her out, as if he had something to tell her.
She had a hunch that Lu Yi was going to confess, and the thought made her heart flutter like a frightened deer.
By the time Zheng Yiran arrived at their agreed meeting spot, Lu Yi was already waiting.
"Am I late again? I'm always making you wait." Zheng Yiran said with a touch of playful coquetry.
"It's fine, I'm used to arriving early."
Lu Yi smiled, but there was a hint of forced politeness and concern in his smile.
"Is there something wrong?" Zheng Yiran felt a growing unease, sensing that something was amiss.
Lu Yi's expression was filled with worry, not the anticipation she had expected.
Wasn't he supposed to confess to her? Then what was he about to say?
Zheng Yiran's initially hopeful mood began to sink. Had she misread the situation? Did Lu Yi not like her?
So, everything before had just been her imagination.
"Let's eat first, we can talk afterwards."
Lu Yi didn't answer Zheng Yiran's question and instead smiled and gestured for her to sit.
"Let's talk first, the food can wait."
Zheng Yiran's heart sank further. Would she be unable to eat even after hearing what he had to say?
"Actually... actually," Lu Yi hesitated.
"Go ahead," Zheng Yiran mentally prepared herself.
"Yiran, you mentioned you have the panda blood type, right?"
Lu Yi seemed to have made up his mind and finally spoke.
"Yes, I do. What's wrong?" Zheng Yiran was confused as to why he would suddenly bring this up.
"Then, can you, can you..."
Lu Yi seemed to find it difficult to voice his request.
His gaze towards Zheng Yiran was filled with expectation, and his usually gentle eyes were solely focused on her.
Zheng Yiran's heart ached; she liked this man and couldn't bear to see him in such distress.
"What is it? You seem to be in quite a predicament," Zheng Yiran said, feigning a relaxed demeanor.
"Can you help match the blood type for a friend?"
He seemed to struggle to get the words out.
"Blood matching?" Zheng Yiran was a little confused.
"Yes, yes. My request might be rather abrupt, but I truly have no other choice."
Lu Yi explained that he had a friend who also had the panda blood type and had been diagnosed with leukemia, and he wanted Zheng Yiran to undergo a blood-type match for his friend.
"So, it's the friend you mentioned at the hospital last time, the one with the panda blood type?"
Zheng Yiran recalled the friend he had mentioned when they coincidentally met at the hospital, after he heard she also had the panda blood type.
But his somber tone and immediate change of subject then, was it because his friend was ill?
"Yes, all relatives and friends have been tested, including myself." Lu Yi's voice grew somber.
"But none were a match. And her condition has worsened. Since I remembered you also have the panda blood type, I wanted to see if you could be tested too."
"I know the chances are slim, but what if? You both have Rh-negative blood, perhaps there's a chance of a match?"
Lu Yi said eagerly, his handsome eyes fixed on Zheng Yiran, filled with pleading.
"Then... I can agree, but if it's not a match..."
Zheng Yiran said hesitantly. She was a kind-hearted person.
She heard the worry in Lu Yi's voice for his friend, and that his friend was so young. He must desperately want to save her.
"It's just a blood-type match. It's fine if it's not a match, after all, no one else has been a match either," Lu Yi quickly explained, fearing Zheng Yiran might misunderstand.
"Yiran, thank you so much!" Lu Yi exclaimed, his voice filled with emotion.
"This is just for my peace of mind. I truly don't want to see her suffering like this at such a young age."
"I know the chances of a successful match are very slim, especially since her own relatives weren't a match, but it's still a glimmer of hope. After all, you share the same blood type."
"Please don't feel burdened. You've done your best!" Zheng Yiran was deeply touched by Lu Yi's concern for his friend.
"When should we go for the blood test? Stop worrying so much. What if I am a match? Wouldn't your friend be saved then?"
Zheng Yiran said optimistically.
Lu Yi was taken aback for a moment. Did she mean she would donate bone marrow to Yan Yan?
For the first time, Lu Yi truly looked at the woman in front of him, observing how she comforted him and her optimistic words.
For the first time, he felt that this woman wasn't so much of an eyesore!